French police put together case against Ikea bosses

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The charges against Ikea come after a 19-month investigationPascal Guyot/Getty

David ChazanParis

Last updated at 12:01AM, November 21 2013

Ikea’s French business was in turmoil yesterday after its two most senior
executives and a former head of the company were charged with illegally
using police files to snoop on staff and customers.

Four police officers also face charges of passing confidential information to
the French subsidiary of the Swedish flat-pack furniture giant, legal
sources said.

After a 19-month criminal investigation triggered by complaints from unions,
Stefan Vanoverbeke, the chief executive, Jean-Louis Baillot, his
predecessor, and Dariusz Rychert, the chief financial officer, were placed
under formal investigation, equivalent to being charged in Britain, for
“complicity to collect personal data” and